My 1980 dream of Camping at the Fort, Fall 2012: Pop, BWV and THE FORT! .. update: 10 years later .. Trip report is complete!

[teekathepony]

Hello from a fellow Atlantic Canadian! I'm joining in, camping in WDW sounds so awesome I can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Hello to you Caper! I hopped over to your pretrippie: We just miss each other!
At the moment I land in MCO (same TO-MCO flt as ye!) on Sep 25 MIght like to try for a few days earlier...that's still up in the air...lol.

Loving this tent! Found out the real purpose of the little side door:


His name is Basil.... He's a Pound Puppy Special (ie, abandoned at the city pound at an early age, but became my light a week later)
I wanted a name from the earth (a la Watership Down & Duncton Wood) and I credit my nephew w/ that name! Many years earlier, as a pre-schooler, he was singing his little songs, so happy and proud he knew all the words:

There was a farmer who had a dog,​

B-I-N-G-O​

B-I-N-G-O​

B-I-N-G-O​

And Basil was his name-o.​

(The Great Mouse Detective was a favourite video at the time)

 

[WalkingintheFog]

And, I'm continuing my wannabe-a-real-campsite-experience with Breakfast cooked outdoors.
Has anyone used these emergency stoves before?

• You need to use 2 tablets to boil ~2c of water.
• HEAVYDUTY tin foil under the kettle/pan is a good idea as the tablets create soot
• I'll be using my electric auto-shutoff kettle at the Fort, not this!

And you can see the Minnie mug that matches my Mickey mug from a prev post!

Loves a cuppa tea!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

And, to enhance the quasi camping experience, I also lit my backyard fire (contrary to the appearance, it is further from the tent, and also on a large fire pad than it all appears)!

This tent is a keeper (thanks Sis!). I'd like to bring this one w/ me....my preference is that anything as crucial as tent/bed/pillow is something that I've tried & tested & trust!
It took me 11 mins to set the tent up solo w/out instructions, not counting guying the fly later.


Again, this preTrippie is coming to you LIVE! From my TENT... at home!

NEXT UP: Taking the tent down, and testing out screen houses!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

I've figured out and fitted in the last 2 leftover parts of the tent!

Long thin triangle is apparently not tooooo small to use anywhere...it's a door mat!


And, no, wee doggie has no intention of sleeping there.....he's just posing there.
Here's where he feels he should sleep:
(and see the final mysterious piece: I guess it's meant to hide the sight of whatever you put in thru the wee doggie door! If I had it aligned correctly before, I would have figured it out!)


But the tent is now collapsed, re-packed (and weighed: it's 22.2 lbs).

 

[chartle]

Hello to you Caper! I hopped over to your pretrippie: We just miss each other!
At the moment I land in MCO (same TO-MCO flt as ye!) on Sep 25 MIght like to try for a few days earlier...that's still up in the air...lol.

Loving this tent! Found out the real purpose of the little side door:

Well not exactly. I can assume you are joking a bit, but the door is to put your muddy shoes into the tent and that extra flap is to keep the mud away from you. On a lot of tents with that kind of door, there is a kind of a sleeve. So the stuff is out of the weather into the tent but not really.

 

[chartle]

And, I'm continuing my wannabe-a-real-campsite-experience with Breakfast cooked outdoors.
Has anyone used these emergency stoves before?

• You need to use 2 tablets to boil ~2c of water.
• HEAVYDUTY tin foil under the kettle/pan is a good idea as the tablets create soot
• I'll be using my electric auto-shutoff kettle at the Fort, not this!

And you can see the Minnie mug that matches my Mickey mug from a prev post!

Loves a cuppa tea!

I would say no one uses those for camping.

Most tenters, if no electricity, would use propane from small bottles or, if they are die hard campers, Coleman Fuel with some sort of single or two burner stove.

And then some get one of these.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Lol chartle, what do you mean? that's not the doghouse?

I would say no one uses those for camping.

Most tenters, if no electricity, would use propane from small bottles or, if they are die hard campers, Coleman Fuel with some sort of single or two burner stove.

And then some get one of these.

Mmm, sure would like to see one of these in action!

Funny enough, I had never heard of using electricity at a tent campsite before I started planning this Fort stay! I would automatically take my Coleman Stove & IceChest, Flashlights, and Flannel sheets (never a need for a fan).
This trip I'll bring electric Kettle, a Toaster, and an electric Fan (got a great one from Brookstone!, and I might pick up a small electric skillet at a department store!

A real mini-fridge sure would be nice instead of a icechest! Any Fridge swaps on the go at the Fort? Where do I sign up for the October holiday weekend slot?!
(I know it's Columbus day for USA, but it's Thanksgiving for Canada!)

Oh! How short a heavy duty outdoor extension cord could I bring without it being toooooo short? I was thinking my power bar would be okay for addl outlets.

 

[chartle]

1. Mmm, sure would like to see one of these in action!

2. Funny enough, I had never heard of using electricity at a tent campsite before I started planning this Fort stay! I would automatically take my Coleman Stove & IceChest, Flashlights, and Flannel sheets (never a need for a fan).
This trip I'll bring electric Kettle, a Toaster, and an electric Fan (got a great one from Brookstone!, and I might pick up a small electric skillet at a department store!

A real mini-fridge sure would be nice instead of a icechest! Any Fridge swaps on the go at the Fort? Where do I sign up for the October holiday weekend slot?!
(I know it's Columbus day for USA, but it's Thanksgiving for Canada!)

Oh! How short a heavy duty outdoor extension cord could I bring without it being toooooo short? I was thinking my power bar would be okay for addl outlets.

1. You just put it on your stove, monitor the temp and adjust the flame. I have a single burner propane just for the oven. On a two burner it takes up more than half the space.

2. While I would take lights and cooking stuff I don't think I would take a frig. Just too just bulk for so little space.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Screen Tent #1
It's okay. It's nice & certainly compact (ie can fit in suitcase w/ tent/airmattress & whatnot). Took me 20mins to put this up the first time (10mins was squaring pegging it and untying knots).
Will it hold up to any wind stronger than a breeze?

I'd like it better if it had 2 doors (I'd like to have one right in front of sleeping tent and then tarp suspended over both)

Lol, there's the germaniums I should be planting!

 

[chartle]

Screen Tent #1
It's okay. It's nice & certainly compact (ie can fit in suitcase w/ tent/airmattress & whatnot). Took me 20mins to put this up the first time (10mins was squaring pegging it and untying knots).
Will it hold up to any wind stronger than a breeze?

I'd like it better if it had 2 doors (I'd like to have one right in front of sleeping tent and then tarp suspended over both)

We have never been a fan of screen tents. To much zipping and un zipping as kids go in and out and too confining.

And if the tent is built and sealed right. Your tent already has a tarp.

You shouldn't need to tarp it unless you are trying to protect it from the heat.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Just me camping!
Here, a screenhouse is almost a necessity from the hordes of blood seeking mosquitos and deerflies that want to rip a hunk out of your flesh!

It also keeps things together & adds to illusion of living quarters! & a place to go when it's raining (ain't camping if there's no rain!)

Here, the tarp would be to act as a windbreak (albeit a solid one) and to keep the heaviest rains off the shelters.
Down at the FORT, it would be for both the potential heavy rain & to deflect some of the heat!

Chartel, you mention the zipping and unzipping like that's a bad thing! .
lol! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZiiiiiiiiiiiiipppppppppppppp!

 

[megveg]

Alrightyyy! I'm in! I'm very very interested in your tent camping adventure as I plan on tent camping at WDW in the future! I'm so excited to see how this works during November too as that would most likely be when I'd choose to camp (Birthday month!)

 

[teekathepony]

Your Pound Puppy, Basil is super cute, he looks very comfy in the tent! Especially when he takes over the mattress.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Alrightyyy! I'm in! I'm very very interested in your tent camping adventure as I plan on tent camping at WDW in the future! I'm so excited to see how this works during November too as that would most likely be when I'd choose to camp (Birthday month!)

Glad to have you along!
My birthday month is Nov as well! And next year is a significant age! Already thinking ahead to maybe trying WDW then (would do the W&D Half marathon & also be there for the Christmas Decor & MVMCP!

Your Pound Puppy, Basil is super cute, he looks very comfy in the tent! Especially when he takes over the mattress.

Thank you! He's super cute in the morning when he wakes me with his little I-got-to-go-outside-right-now dance... I jump out of bed, and he jumps right in! I never learn!


So, next weekend I have a camping trip planned! lol, another full service site! My sisters' cabin! I'll pack my gear in the suitcase I plan to bring to Florida with me, so I'll see how that works out!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

It's not a real campground, and I'm not on vacation, but for now, I'm loving the backyard setup!

• Have put a bench that converts to a picnic table in the screenhouse & am out here now, with my breakfast.

• Campfire (ie enclosed cast iron fireplace) is lit, the rain is coming down.

Getting excited! Summer is truly here! We not only have constantly had double digits (although there was the risk or frost last week overnight), we've also had mid & upper 20s! Wowsers!

This weekend I have a 10mile road race "The Tely Ten", and then I take one complete week off from running (may or maynot manage that... it is an addiction, much like Disney)

AND:
Next weekend is a camping weekend! I'll be heading out towards Terra Nova Park for a couple nights!
I'll bring the laptop & passporter & work on my menu plan for my Disney Trip!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

The second tent to come out of my basement is my own tent.....it must be close to 20 yrs old!


And it's not near as nice as the first one I've posted. There's barely room inside for the airbed! (which FYI is not staying inflated fully! I rolled right off it today!.... That will be going back to the store.)
Besides being too small, I ripped the screen as putting it up, and broke a pole as well!

So, down it came. I cut the tent away from the base, and now I have 6sided ground sheet, which will be used in or under the nicer tent! (the Blue/Yellow one!)

I notice the Screenhouse, just bought same time as the airbed (last week), has a split starting on one of its poles. So that goes back to the store!

AND NOW IT's TENT NUMBER 3! It's a WENGER.
This one is huge! Also belongs to one of my sisters & also resides in my basement! This tent features 2 bay windows, 2 skylights, a rear screened door, a front screen porch that has zippered flaps for full privacy, and 2 room dividers for living area flanked by 2 small "bedrooms".
Check it out!:

And now, with the fly over it (a bit saggy in front because the yard slopes up towards the house).


It's too huge to take, but just check out all I can fit inside:
My "bed".. thermarest on sponge... only to be used when driving to a campsite.
My small picnic table.
I could put another bed on the other side of table (this tent has 2 dividers that would screen each bed from the middle part of the tent.

Notice the picnic table is now a bench! Cool, wha? Got this from yet another sister who got it from a niece who got it from Zellers last year. (Home Depot sells them online, but it would cost ~$190 taxes/delivery in)


And this is the screened porch (I have the front flaps closed, but the side flaps tied back).


The sister who I got the bench from tells me she has a few screened tents as well, so I may check them out next!

Meanwhile, for this weekend's camping adventure, I'll be taking the leading contender thus far:
The Hillary!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Pegs! What pegs are best to use for tents at The Fort?

Here's a sample of what I have (ignore the bent one.... we have a lot of rocks here...on the Rock!):

 

[bama_ed]

Pegs?

I have spent a half year camping in my popup over 7 years.

I have nearly one year (365 days yes) camping in tents with Boys Scouts as both a boy and adult leader. So I will take the liberty to respond to this question since I feel qualified.

I got home from another 2.5 weeks of camping/backpacking in the Rockies this summer (highest elevation was 12,441 feet above sea level carrying a 65-70# pack.

Any stake you have with a flat edge (the yellow flared ones, the angled metal ones at 90-degrees) will hold better overall. However, they are usually heavier, bulkier, etc. but they hold best. The round aluminum stakes (used hundreds of them and they don't hold well versus flat sided stakes and they bend) are adequate but not best.

Given the crushed shell pads at the Fort take any flat-sided stakes you have. Angle them in the <sand> back towards the tent and they should hold up. Keep the lines taunt and you will win out. Have a great time Foggie!

Bama ED

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Pegs?

I have spent a half year camping in my popup over 7 years.

I have nearly one year (365 days yes) camping in tents with Boys Scouts as both a boy and adult leader. So I will take the liberty to respond to this question since I feel qualified.

I got home from another 2.5 weeks of camping/backpacking in the Rockies this summer (highest elevation was 12,441 feet above sea level carrying a 65-70# pack.

Any stake you have with a flat edge (the yellow flared ones, the angled metal ones at 90-degrees) will hold better overall. However, they are usually heavier, bulkier, etc. but they hold best. The round aluminum stakes (used hundreds of them and they don't hold well versus flat sided stakes and they bend) are adequate but not best.

Given the crushed shell pads at the Fort take any flat-sided stakes you have. Angle them in the <sand> back towards the tent and they should hold up. Keep the lines taunt and you will win out. Have a great time Foggie!

Bama ED

The v-shaped metal ones it is! Thanks, Bama Ed!